


Teacher of the Year

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Series: Think Outside the Love Square [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Gen, Identity Reveal, already did the class so i figured the teacher was the next best option, caline needs a drink, carapace mentioned but not featured, minor cartoon violence, there weren't enough non-love square ones so i wrote my own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 10:44:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16061483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: “Nope. Don’t go there, Cal,” the woman grumbled to herself. She pushed to her feet, wobbling a bit and settling her hand on the wall. “Not...do NOT think about Adrien Agreste being a superhero with all that he already has to deal with.”That didn’t help.Caline sighed and set the bottle of wine on her kitchen counter, looking back down at the student work in front of her. Marinette’s name curled across her vision, almost mocking, and she huffed, slamming her folder shut.This was too much for one night.~~Aka Miss Bustier desperately needs a raise and a drink.





	Teacher of the Year

**Author's Note:**

> There aren't enough fics about Identity Reveals that DON'T involve the love square. Don't get me wrong, I love reveal fics between Adrien and Marinette, but sometimes they just get....so old, you know? 
> 
> I've seen a few for other students, and a sprinkling of ones for parents, but I can only think of one off the top of my head where Miss Bustier is the first to find out, and that one kinda inspired me to write this one. 
> 
> Been on a Miraculous kick for the last week, wee!

The night Caline Bustier figured out that Marinette was Ladybug, she sat down at her computer, typed out six different resignation letters that all ended in various scrambles of key smashing, finished two bottles of cheap wine, and ate an entire chocolate cake. 

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, really. No one had transformed in front of her, she hadn’t put appearances together, nothing that she figured a normal person would notice. 

No, she had happened to be on the site of an akuma attack that afternoon (something about squirrels, it was absurd), and in the aftermath of the chaos, she had asked Ladybug if she could have an autograph for her niece, who was a huge fan of the new hero. 

Ladybug had been delighted, written a short little blurb on a piece of paper that Caline had held out, and zipped off on her yo-yo. Caline had thought nothing more of the encounter until she started grading homework that evening. 

And Marinette’s handwriting had matched Ladybugs scratch for scratch, right down to the cute little swirls she put on her A’s and L’s. 

So yeah, Caline was currently clinging to a third bottle of chardonnay and looking for her misplaced corkscrew on the floor of her pantry. Sue her, she had no idea how to handle this revelation. 

It made sense, the longer she thought about it and the more drunk she got. Marinette was always tardy, looked exactly like Ladybug right down to the pigtails, and she had the spirit of a leader like Ladybug did. 

She gave up on the corkscrew and leaned against the wall, thumping her head back and shutting her eyes. 

Did she tell Marinette that she knew? Help her out? Should she tell her parents? What if they already knew? Did anyone know, or was she the first? Was Chat Noir a student, too? 

That thought gave Caline a bigger headache and she groaned, pressing both hands to her forehead and rubbing her temples. No. No way. Chat couldn’t be a student, he didn’t fit any of the students the way that Ladybug did. 

Well... 

That wasn’t entirely true, when Caline thought of it. Looks wise, he and Adrien could be twins. But he had the personality of Alix and Kim combined with a bit of Alya. If he was a student...Adrien’s absences aligned with Chat’s appearances. 

“Nope. Don’t go there, Cal,” the woman grumbled to herself. She pushed to her feet, wobbling a bit and settling her hand on the wall. “Not...do NOT think about Adrien Agreste being a superhero with all that he already has to deal with.” 

That didn’t help. 

Caline sighed and set the bottle of wine on her kitchen counter, looking back down at the student work in front of her. Marinette’s name curled across her vision, almost mocking, and she huffed, slamming her folder shut. 

This was too much for one night. 

Caline found a bottle of aspirin, took three, and went to bed. 

~~ 

It wasn’t until Caline got to school the next morning that she realized that she hadn’t finished her grading of the papers. In fact, because she graded them in alphabetical order, she had only gotten about six students done. 

She would have pulled them out and finished doing it right then and there (they were just worksheets, after all) but Rose walked in before she could even open her bag, so she resigned herself to a bit of teasing from her students and smiled warmly at the girl. 

“Good morning Rose. Did you have a good night?” 

Rose grinned and set her bag down on her desk, sinking into her seat and clasping her hands under her chin. ”Oh yes, Miss! I was walking home from Juleka’s and Chat Noir came out of nowhere and offered to walk me home! ME! Can you believe it? He’s so nice,” she sighed, slumping her chin into her hands and staring off with a dreamy smile. 

Caline coughed and turned her gaze to her bag, pulling out her attendance sheet and pencil case. “That was...very sweet of him, yes.” 

Before Rose could say anything further, Alix and Kim came into the room, bickering as usual with Max close behind them shaking his head. Caline slumped in relief at the ordinary and playfully reminded Alix and Kim to be nice to one another. Their bright smiles assured her that they meant no harm by their fighting, and she turned to write the lesson for the day on the board. 

She greeted the students as they came in, in pairs and alone, until the minute hand of the clock was only seconds from the start of the school day. 

Everyone was in the room when she turned back and set the chalk down, save for Marinette. Caline raised an eyebrow at the empty seat, shooting a look to Alya, but Alya was leaned over her desk showing a video to Adrien and Nino. 

“-patrolling by my house at like, two am! There wasn’t an akuma I missed last night, was there?” 

Adrien chuckled. “Doubt it, Als. The whole city would have woken up. She was probably just keeping an eye out.” 

Caline frowned. On a school night? She understood when there were akumas, that couldn’t be helped. But just a simple patrol? 

She shook it off and cleared her throat, picking up the attendance sheet. The student’s conversation petered out, Alya and Chloe put their phones away, and Caline glanced down at the list. “Adrien,” she said, just loud enough that the class could hear. 

This far into the year, the students didn’t respond, merely waited politely while she glanced back and forth between the list and the students in front of her. 

“Alya....phone away please,” Caline scolded lightly, shooting a wry smile at the girl and the phone under her desk. Alya flushed and stuck it into her bag as Caline pursed her lips. “Have you heard from Marinette today?” 

As if on cue, the door swung open and Marinette darted inside, tugging on a disheveled pig tail and flying to her seat. “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” she was chanting, sinking into the chair breathlessly and dropping her bag on the floor. The class stayed silent, all eyes on their tardy classmate, and Marinette flushed. “I’m sorry, Miss Bustier. I overslept...again.” 

The last word was sheepish, and while the rest of the class tittered, Caline allowed herself to study the girl a little closer. Clothes rumpled, hair frizzy, bags under her eyes. A faint scratch on her cheek that Caline wasn’t sure she had seen the day before. 

“It’s all right, Marinette,” she said after a moment, looking back at the list to mark Marinette as present. “Try not to let it happen too often, mm?” 

Marinette’s eyes widened just a bit but she nodded, clearly relieved. 

Caline finished up attendance quickly, having seen all the other students come in already, and then set her clipboard down and offered a sheepish smile to the class. “Um...unfortunately, I didn’t quite get through grading yesterday’s homework for you all. Some things came up last night, and I was a bit distracted. I will collect today’s homework, and then we’ll do our lesson, and I’ll let you all leave ten minutes early. How’s that sound?” 

The class whooped and Caline smiled, sparing one last glance at Marinette before she moved to collect homework. 

The poor girl looked ready to pass out on her desk, and Caline paused as she grabbed hers and Alya’s homework, leaning in. “Marinette, if you aren’t feeling well, let me know so I can give you a nurses pass, all right?” 

Marinette blinked twice, shoulders slumping, and she gave the teacher a warm smile. “Thank you, Miss.” 

~~ 

Caline went to the grocery store after school, intent on restocking her cheap wine and aspirin, as well as some other essentials. There had been no akumas all day, the class had been cheerful, and she had been able to brush some of her concerns from the night before aside. 

So of course, the afternoon had to jinx her. 

Caline was no stranger to entitled people; she had worked as a grocery clerk through her school career, and now she dealt with...certain rich parents and kids on a daily basis. 

But getting akumatized because a cashier wouldn’t accept an expired coupon? That was extreme, even for the elder citizens of the world. 

And yet, here she was, her new bottle of wine shattered on the ground at her feet and an old woman seven times her height towering in front of her, coupon clutched in hand turned purple and her cane she had been using now a pea shooter that looked like it could shoot a full-sized car. 

“Fantastic,” she muttered, backing away from the register as slowly and calmly as possible. Chat Noir and Ladybug – Marinette – would be here soon, she should get out of the way so they could... 

And Caline paused, gut churning at the thought of letting one, potentially two, of her students face down against this monster. God above, what kind of teacher was she? Even if they were magically gifted with those suits (and Caline couldn’t even muster up the will to think about the _magical_ implications of her students being superheroes), they were still just kids, and the least she could do was try to help. 

She turned to the cowering civilians nearby and glanced around, eyeing the emergency exit off to the side of the room. She caught the eye of a student that she knew from study hall periods, and tilted her head towards the doors. He nodded and darted that way, beckoning people after him. 

Caline spun to the akumatized victim – _they were a victim, they were a victim, no matter how much of a piece of garbage they had been as a human_ – and cupped her hands around her mouth. “Hey! Coupon....lady!!” 

She cringed at the words, but the akuma turned, bright red eyes piercing her soul, and Caline swallowed. “You need to just take a deep breath, and be calm about this!” 

The monster roared in her face, blowing her hair off her ears and sending her back a few steps. Her arms flew up instinctively to cover her eyes and chest, and it was a good thing she did, because the next thing Caline knew, there was a heavy impact on her torso and she was flying through the air with a shriek. 

A solid mass crashed into her back and arms circled her legs and shoulders, and she landed with a jolt in the arms of Chat Noir, who let her down quickly behind a shelf of bread. His eyes raked her over, concern lacing his face. “Are you okay Miss Busti-er, Miss?” 

Shoot. 

He _was_ Adrien. 

Caline swallowed this confirmation and nodded, settling her hand on his shoulder and squeezing it tenderly. “I’m all right, Chat Noir. I was just hoping to distract her so that more people could escape.” 

Chat – Adrien – what did she _call_ them now? - nodded, shooting a glance back over his shoulder at where Ladybug was now taunting the akuma. “Do you know where the akuma is?” 

Caline tilted her head. “Yes. The coupon she tried to use, it was expired. The akuma went in there.” 

Chat wrinkled his nose. “All this over an expired coupon? Yeesh. Stay here.” 

“Be careful,” Caline found herself calling out without thinking. 

Chat looked surprised, though a grateful smile slipped across his cheeks. “Yes, ma’am.” 

Caline sank down onto the floor and watched the fight occur. It might have been wishful thinking, but it felt faster than usual, and maybe it was because of her knowledge of the akuma. 

Or maybe old ladies just made really bad akuma victims. 

God, Caline really needed that wine. 

~~ 

For the rest of the term, Caline kept quiet about her discoveries. She stayed out of the way of Ladybug and Chat Noir, eased up on Marinette and Adrien in both grading and attendance to her class, and read up as much as she could on what the public knew about akumas, miraculous holders, and the victims. 

Alya’s blog played a large part in Caline’s knowledge, and sometimes the woman hoped that Alya would go into journalism in the future. She had a knack for the craft, especially since she had become Rena Rouge and stopped going after identities only. 

Oh yes, that one was easy to figure out. 

The akumatized victims had been Alya’s sisters, Rena was clearly new, and Marinette was Alya’s best friend. If anyone was going to get a miraculous for that situation, it would be Alya. 

Of course, that now meant that Caline had _three_ superheroes in her classroom instead of two. Which, if she was honest, kind of made her head swim. 

She endured, paid close attention to when Alya fought alongside Adrien and Marinette (not all the time, she noticed immediately), and eased up on her on the days it mattered. 

It worked well, Caline thought. She noticed the slight ease in the students that appeared when they walked into her classroom, how they weren’t timid about admitting their exhaustion to her anymore. 

And then she got akumatized. 

~~ 

She saw it, the butterfly heading for Marinette, and she panicked. She hadn’t thought that Marinette could get akumatized, still wasn’t sure, honestly, but she’d be damned if THE Ladybug got revealed to Hawkmoth because Chloe had ruined a present. 

“You will NOT evilize one of my students!” she shouted, flinging the pouch at the butterfly and tucking Marinette firmly behind her. 

She didn’t know what Hawkmoth was able to see through them, if anything. Didn’t know if he’d be able to read her thoughts, know that she knew the identities of all three superheroes in the city of Paris. 

What Caline did know was that, even if he could see those things in her mind, it would still be better than him getting control of Ladybug. At least this way, Marinette could run. 

When the butterfly slipped into the lipstick, it was like a bucket of water had been dumped over her head. She gasped, vaguely aware of Marinette shouting next to her, and dropped to her knees, clutching her head. 

_No._

_Give in._

She groaned, the chill spreading through her body, and promised one last, desperate to herself and herself alone, Hawkmoth too busy trying to control her to listen in: 

She was not going to let her students get hurt. 

That included Ladybug and Chat Noir. 

~~ 

Caline didn’t remember much about being akumatized, save for what the students had told her, but Marinette and Adrien were in school the next day, and so was Alya, and that fact made Caline slump with relief. 

She went through the motions, found Chloe’s gift and opened it during class (her favorite perfume, which she was somewhat amazed the girl had known), and gave out homework like it was any other day. 

It wasn’t. 

She had made up her mind last night. Yesterday had been too close; with what she knew, she was a liability. She had to tell them. 

But Caline also knew that they didn’t know each other’s identities. It was clear in the way Adrien and Marinette acted around each other in and out of the costume in various combinations. She knew that Marinette knew who Rena was, but Alya had no idea who Chat and Ladybug were. 

Which meant that she had to talk to all of them separately. 

Adrien had been a bit late that morning, so after class was over she asked him to hang back, shooing the rest of the kids out and shutting the door firmly in Nino, Marinette, and Alya’s faces with an apologetic smile. 

When she turned back, Adrien was shifting from foot to foot, looking incredibly nervous, and Caline smiled. “You’re not in trouble, honey,” she said, lowering her voice. If she knew his friends, she knew they were still outside. “I just needed to speak with you about something important for a moment. I know you have study period next, so you have a moment, yes?” 

Adrien licked his lips and nodded. ”Y-Yes, Miss.” 

Caline guided him to the far side of the room, to Sabrina and Chloe’s seats, and sat him down gently before sitting next to him. 

“I've been muddling over how to approach you on this, seeing as it’s a delicate topic,” Caline said, frowning down at her hands. “But given yesterday's events, I couldn’t safely keep it from you anymore.” 

Adrien looked confused when she peered back up at him, and his eyes flickered with understanding. “Miss, if you mean about being akumatized....it’s happened to lots of people. It doesn’t change my decision on – oh no, _please_ don’t tell my father! He’ll pull me from school if he thinks even my teachers are dangerous. N-Not that you are, of course, as I said, many people have gotten affected, but he’s not rational on that sort of thing, and I really enjoy school, Miss, especially your classes, and I-” 

“Adrien,” Caline chuckled, reaching her hand out and squeezing his shoulder in the hopes to get him to stop rambling. “This isn’t about your father. I won’t tell him, though I’m sure he knows, given it was on the news. No, this is...” 

She frowned. She hadn’t fully thought this through, his reactions, her words, but she let it spill out anyway. “I suppose I just wanted to let you know that...I know. And I’m here, if you need anything from me?” 

Adrien looked perplexed. “Know...what? About my father?” 

Caline stiffened, searching his face quickly. “What about your father?” she demanded, her voice colder than she meant to make it. If that rich bastard had done anything to one of her students, so help him she would walk in there with a stapler and go to town. 

Adrien flung his hands up. “No, no, nothing...bad....if you didn’t mean him, then...?” 

She forced her temper down – no need for a repeat of yesterday – and tilted her head, lifting an eyebrow. “I _know,_ Adrien.” 

She saw the moment it clicked, the way his eyes widened comically, how his hand flew to his bag, where she assumed his costume was (or whatever it was he used to change), the way his shoulders bunched. “I-I don’t know what you mean,” he stammered. 

Caline squeezed his shoulder again, stroking it with her thumb in what she hoped he would interpret as a soothing, motherly fashion. “Adrien. Don’t.” 

He slumped, looking away. “How...?” 

“It's a bit of a story. But I needed to tell you because of yesterday. I was put into a situation where I could have potentially exposed your identity to Hawkmoth, and if that had happened, you wouldn’t have known. You would have been in danger, and so would your friends. I couldn’t let that happen.” 

Adrien looked back up at her, eyes flickering over her face. “You didn’t. He...he didn’t end up attacking us. How did you do that?” 

Caline shrugged, dropping her hands back to her lap. “Not sure,” she admitted. ”I think my focus on getting everyone to love each other forced your identity to the back of my mind. Then again, I don’t quite know how Hawkmoth knows anything.” 

Adrien was just staring at her, mouth hanging slightly, and Caline chuckled. “It’s all right, Adrien. I’ve said nothing to anyone. Here.” 

She handed over his homework assignment from the night before. At the top were her email, phone number, and address. “If you ever need anything, let me know. Even something as small as for me to bring an icepack to school with me.” 

Adrien took the page with shaky fingers, and Caline pressed her lips together. ”I'm sorry for springing this on you.” 

His gaze shot up to hers and he blinked. ”What? Are you kidding? This is GREAT!” 

Caline blinked and sat back. “Really?” 

Adrien was beaming now, eyes sparkling and cheeks rosy. “I don’t have to hide from someone! Oh my gosh, wait, can I introduce you to Plagg?” 

“To...what?” 

“Are you done shouting?” came a gravelly, annoyed voice from Adrien’s bag and oh that was why he had covered his bag so protectively early. 

The tiny cat squinted up at her with big, green eyes, and Caline found herself waving awkwardly at it. “Great job at the secret identity, kid,” it grumbled, turning it’s glare to Adrien. 

Adrien held his hands up. “Hey man, I said nothing.” 

Caline chuckled, shaking her head. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised that this situation had gotten weirder. 

~~ 

It was easier telling Alya. Perhaps because it was logical for her to figure it out, even without knowing Marinette’s identity, but also partially because it meant the girl could now submit her future articles to Caline for proofreading to make sure that she hadn’t slipped up on anything she shouldn’t have. 

“I don’t fight often, and I don’t get to keep the miraculous,” Alya informed her, stirring her coffee. She was sitting in Caline’s office, had been interviewing her about her recent akumatization when Caline sprung her knowledge on her. “But...it’s nice to know that you’ll help if I ever need it. Thanks, Miss Bustier.” 

Marinette was hard only because Caline could never catch her at a good time. Bakery work, school work, clubs, what she thought might be stalking Adrien, and superheroing kept the girl busy. 

Finally, Caline gave up, wrote a very brief note on Marinette’s latest paper - _See me, I need to speak to you about ladybugs_ – and waited patiently in her office after school. 

Sure enough, only a few minutes after the final bell, Marinette peeked her head in with a nervous smile. “Is now a good time, Miss?” 

“Absolutely. Come on in, Marinette, and shut the door behind you if you would.” 

She did as asked and sat down across from Caline, her hands wringing in her lap. Caline stood and moved around the desk, knowing that the barrier sometimes made students nervous, and sat in the chair next to her, twisting her body to face the student. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Marinette,” she said, keeping her voice low. 

Marinette swallowed and shut her eyes. “How long have you known?” 

Caline hummed, thinking back. “Probably...about two weeks after you first showed up in public as Ladybug.” 

Marinette squawked and put her head in her hands. “Was I really that bad at hiding it?” she groaned. 

Caline chuckled. ”Not at all, dear. You just happened to give me an autograph for my niece, and your handwriting gave it away. And then your exhaustion and tardiness...just confirmed it. I wanted to tell you that I knew because of that recent business with my akumatization. You never think it can happen to you until it does, I suppose.” 

Marinette hummed in her throat, tapping at her knees with her fingertips. “So...do you know that...?” 

“Alya is Rena? Yes. I’ve already spoken to her, leaving your name out, of course. I wanted to take the time to give you my number, email, and address, in case you need anything. Anything, Marinette. An extra hand, a place to crash and transform, a snack the next day. And I'll continue to go easy on the two of you when you have rough nights.” 

Marinette scoffed quietly. ”I knew you were going too easy on me.” 

Caline raised an eyebrow. “Too easy, hmm? I won’t let you slack, Marinette. But if you had a late night, or a tough battle, all you have to do is tell me.” 

Marinette smiled, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. “Thank you, Miss. It’s...it’s nice, having someone who knows besides-” 

“Ah yes, your kwami,” Caline said, excited. “I’ve been eager to meet her, since I wasn’t able to meet Alya’s.” 

The tiny red bug that poked her head out of Marinette’s purse was an exact foil to Plagg in everything down to color and personality. She was introduced to Caline as Tikki, informed of her love for sweets, and then Tikki reminded Caline the consequences of knowing who held the miraculouses. 

“It’s dangerous,” the kwami said, her voice solemn. 

Caline nodded her head, acknowledging the danger. “I know. But my students deserve to have someone on the civilian side who can help them. I became a teacher to help students in every way possible. I never expected...superheroes out of it...but I like to roll with the punches?” 

Tikki giggled and looked at Marinette. “You’re right, she is a good teacher.” 

Caline grinned and stood, walking Marinette to her door. “As I said, if you need anything, do not hesitate.” 

“Thank you, Miss. This was...really nice of you.” 

Caline watched Marinette leave, catching up with Alya at the front door, and then shut her door again, shutting her eyes. 

Three students with superpowers in her class, two of them full time. 

Caline really needed another bottle of wine. 

~~ 

She bought four the next week when Carapace showed up.

**Author's Note:**

> Caline, when she finds out Gabriel is Hawkmoth: *grabs stapler and charges into the Agreste mansion*


End file.
